This invention relates in general to foldable step stools for use mainly in the kitchen and bathroom, and more specifically to a foldaway stool system mounted to the inside of a cabinet door and unfolded therefrom to provide a step area large enough for both feet and high enough to be useful. When the step is not in use, it is folded away flat against the inside of the cabinet door, within the outer dimensions of the cabinet opening allowing the door to shut completely.
The need for step stools to help people reach items in the kitchen and bathroom has long been established. Small adults need a stool to reach items on the upper shelves of cabinets in the kitchen and young children need a stool to reach items on the counter top, mainly the sink in the kitchen and bathroom. According to the 1989 Statistical Abstract of the United States, there are approximately 110 million people in the United States whose height is 5 feet, 4 inches, or below, there are more than 14.5 million children in the U.S. between the ages of two and six years, and there are more than 60 million households in the U.S. in which stools of this nature are needed. It is obvious from this information that the need for step stools is one that directly affects a large portion of the United States' population, and indirectly affects the remaining portion through its association with family and friends who are of direct need.
The need for and use of stools in the U.S. is indisputably great. Thus, so are the problems which are commonly associated with using them. One problem in particular is what to do with the stool when it is not in use. Presently, there is no simple, affordable, universal solution available. When not in use, stools are commonly left on the floor where they cause an annoying clutter problem and a dangerous trip hazard. If the stool is stored when not in use, it takes up valuable storage space and becomes inconvenient to use.
This invention directly solves the clutter and storage problem. While it provides a large, sturdy step in the needed places, as do standard step stools, when not in use it folds conveniently away flat against the inside of nearly any cabinet door. It is designed specifically to be easy to install, simple and convenient to use, inexpensive, and usable in conjunction with nearly any cabinet door.
The apparent significant need by consumers for a foldable step stool of this nature is further proven by the large number of published ideas directed toward solving this problem. Many of these ideas are discussed below.
Heretofore, attempts to solve the problems associated with using standard step stools fall, basically, into five categories:
1. Foldable step units which are mounted to the inside of a cabinet door. This is the category in which my invention falls. One other design in this category is the step unit in U.S. Pat. No. 3,136,386 to Harvath and Jung (1964). The foldaway step of this patent requires a mounting bracket which extends substantially the length of the cabinet door. Two of the legs for the step are attached right at the cabinet door and extend downward when the step is extended. Since the legs need to retract up above the bottom of the cabinet door, the length of the legs limits the size of the step surface, which must retract to a position above these legs. The step unfolds in two motions, first unfolding the step, and second sliding it down to the floor.
2. Foldable step units stored under the cabinet behind the kickplate. One step of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,481,429. It is necessary to modify the structure of cabinet for installation of this step. There are several steps involved in deploying and storing this step.
3. Foldable step units mounted to the outside of a cabinet door. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,581,488, 3,030,166, and 3,833,089 represent this type of foldaway step. These step units are designed to mount to the outside of a cabinet door.
4. Collapsible step units that attach to the underneath side of a lower cabinet shelf. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,801,894 and 4,846,304 show this design. This step design requires a shelf to be mounted to, thus there are only certain cabinets which it can be mounted in.
5. Noncollapsible step stools which fold in and out of cabinet space. Two examples are U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,881,040 and 4,135,604.